914 Friends -

As I've noted for some time, my sweet 914 is in the restoration painters shop getting restored to its beautiful Malaga Red. And while it's there, I'm doing a top-end rebuild with plans to get new heads, P's & C's from Auto Atlanta.

Just started pulling down engine and right away a problem I can't seem to solve, and I know it's gotta be really simple.

Broke left head loose, and it will not pull off. Yes, lower baffle plate is unscrewed, and I've tried to move it but not able to do so as per Haynes manual here:



Tubes seem free. Seems this baffle plate is preventing the head from coming off.

What am I missing or what's the trick?

As always, TIA.......

GN

Simply remove it. x2 cheese head screws & M4 in the center that may be a bit tough

2 cheese head screws removed. M4 - where in center? One was in center, really small slot head/cheese head. That's out.

I've got head loose and 3/4" off of cylinders and can move it around but it will not pull off.......



Thanks,

GN

I almost hate to suggest this, but the threaded portion of the studs on the case side didn’t fit through the holes in my cylinders. Is it hanging up on those?

No.

& I'm pulling on heads with over 50 lbs. of tension. Slight bit of spring in last 1/4" before it will not budge off. Something is blocking it.

GN

I'm an idiot. Missed the 3rd cheesecake head screw on right. Thought the small middle one was the 2nd.

Haven't checked yet but expect it to pull straight off now.

Gotta media blast the engine first.....

GN

NEXT QUESTION:

WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO GET THE ENGINE CASE LOOKING LIKE NEW?

I've tried blasting with baking soda but that doesn't work - doesn't cut well enough.

I have a more abrasive Black Diamond. Think it is 80 and too harsh.

What grit should I use?

Another 914er said he tried dry ice on his but it was too harsh. Of course I'd have to get that done by a pro.....

TIA,

GN

It's a pita, but I use lacquer thinner with a small ss steel wire brush. Laborious but it does a decent job, inside and outside

Soda really is the best - have you tried the coarsest soda you can find?

Soda blast on the right
Click to view attachment

Glass bead will leave a nice satin look. Walnut shells are another option but many sandblast rigs won’t handle coarse walnut and the fine grit walnut is hard to find and way less effective.

But . . . I wouldn’t do it unless you are prepared to pull every galley plug and meticulously clean every galley passage several times before reassembly.

Even then - even when I know I’m pulling the galley plugs (11 of them if I recall) - I still tape over all the galley holes with several layers of aluminum tape to keep as much glass bead out as I can. No sense putting that crap into the galleys intentionally.

Glad Bead looks like this:
Click to view attachment

You can see where oil pump, seal bores, push rod tube bores, etc were taped off

Take it to a shop that can drop it in their ultrasonic cleaner. It’s what we use on engines and transmission cases. Makes it look new and cleans all the nooks and crannies.

Guys -

Thanks for the help. My bad for not clarifying that the engine is NOT apart, thus media cannot get inside it. No concern about media getting into intake and exhaust ports because I'm getting new heads, P's & C's. Dizzy in place, oil cap on, etc.

So dipping engine not an option. I purposefully have not disassembled engine so I could clean exterior of case first.

Coarser soda sounds good, got mine from Harbor Freight, where can I find some of that? What I have doesn't do much and takes a long time to do anything.

I have multiple types of media including glass beads and walnut shells - not sure what abrasive level is. Seems walnut shells would be way to soft, but hey - I can try them.

GN

Spent 4 hours yesterday with another Teener here (Travis - OrangeBones here) who I brought together with owner of an '88 951 S (SUPER RARE) that I had looked at near here. He flew down from north of Philly, I picked him up in my 944 S and took him to the 951 S about an hour north.



Two Alpine White 944 S's - one Turbo, one 16v, DOHC. Sweet.

He rebuilt the engine in his 914 and said he cleaned the engine cases with 3 separate cleanings of Simple Green and a pressure washer! If Travis hadn't told me, I would have not believed it!

BTW, he drove the 951 S home safely. GREAT GUY! Just sad we live so far apart and can't drive our 914's or our white 944 S's together.

GN

If engine is not disassembled - stick with the wire brush and detergent cleanup. Do the best you can and then call it a day.

air cooled engines just get dirty the first time you run them and it’s all covered by engine tin anyway.

What makes that even worse is that my driveway (through property I do not own) is 1/2 mile long gravel road.

One week after I put in my beautiful powder-coated tins they were covered in dust.

Oh well..........

GN


[/quote]
air cooled engines just get dirty the first time you run them and it’s all covered by engine tin anyway.
[/quote]

GN - Thank you so much for setting this up. This forum is filled with awesome people (shout out to the 914 Mob!). It was a pleasure driving your car and we will do it again!
-Travis

Peter -

10 years ago I would do that in a heartbeat.

I'm 77 with major lower back issues including 12mm disc herniation, severely deformed & degenerated discs, bone spurs & arthritis limiting me in what I can do physically. Successful major back surgeries in '88 and '92 & was back running in 6 weeks. Don't want another surgery......success not as likely in my condition and age.........

Still waiting to see neurosurgeon......

Needs to be a simple way to clean these engine cases. Front two airflow panels off to replace impeller and put in new front seal.

Just read Type 47's post on muriatic acid - not doing that......

I have glass bead - will try blasting with that. Expensive....

GN

Surprised that no one has mentioned using a commercial steam cleaner, nor having it dry-ice blasted.

Local dry-ice blasting shop sent me a video of their doing bottom of an engine and tranny and it was exactly what I want.

Cost? Will find out tomorrow.....

GN

For DIY I wouldn’t put glass beads, garnet or any non-soluble abrasive near an engine…assembled or not. Just too risky. A few grains inside and you’re done. Disassembled I’d use dry ice or use soda with a long rinse/dip. Assembled, I’d probably go with either dry ice or gunk engine cleaner and a toothbrush.

Thank you Ian for the wise counsel. I had thought of it, but was thinking engine being pretty much sealed I'd be ok.

But you are right - not worth possibility of destroying the engine.

But the baking soda just ain't cutting it.

Dry ice guy is saying $250 minimum, maybe more.

Need to move ahead and get started on rebuild - not sure what to do now.

GN

Yeah, the problem with soda is that it gets hung up in the oils & grease. Try the gunk / toothbrush / plastic spudger approach and get as much off as possible. Probably no need to go further. Even soda isn’t safe on a sealed engine, as the crystals are (obv) highly abrasive. The nice thing about soda is that water dissolves them. But you’re not dipping your engine in water

Engine is getting cleaner! Few more steps then it will be ready for tear-down......









GN